We're Ready for Revision Pre-Flight: 10 Self-Editing Tips

By Janice Hardy, @Janice_Hardy


Even if you love revising (like me), the thought of diving into a revision can be overwhelming. If you don't enjoy doing it, it can be downright soul crushing. Where do you start? What do you look for? How do you know when you're done?

To help make the process easier, here are my top ten tips to give you a place to start, a map to follow, and a guide to get you through your revision.

1. Remember: It’s all about the story. 

Anything goes in a first or even second draft, but once the serious editing starts, you have to be ruthless to bring out the best novel you can from your draft. A well-written scene that slows the pacing or does nothing to advance the story doesn't belong, no matter how much you like it (and we've all been there). Check each scene against the core conflict, character development, or character arc and make sure it advances one of them in some way, no matter how small. If you can't bear to cut the scene, then try looking for ways to make that scene serve the story in some fashion. Sometimes all it takes it a little tweak or an added detail to get the scene back on track.

2. Edit in stages.

Trying to edit the entire manuscript at once can feel like there's too much to do, but editing smaller sections are easier to manage. Edit in stages, focusing on one thing at a time--perhaps it's chapter by chapter or scene by scene, or searching for all adverbs or passive verbs. Whatever you choose to check, take it a step at a time and make the process bite-sized instead of too big to swallow.

(Here's more on creating an editorial map)

3. Check your character goals and motivations. 

One of the most common reasons a scene doesn't work is a lack of goals, conflict, or stakes. Characters without strong goals and motivations driving the story lead to weak stories. Make sure every character is acting with purpose, and not simply doing what the plot tells them to. Sometimes the fix is easy, and one line will make the goal or motivations clear, while other times you might need to figure it out yourself first.

4. Check your character and story arcs. 

Novels build the story scene by scene, creating story arcs that tie the pieces together. If those scenes aren't moving the story, your pacing can grind to a halt. Are all the steps in the character or story arcs leading toward the exciting climax or do storylines go astray? Do characters grow or are they the same at the end as they were at the beginning? Arcs that advance and grow both story and character give the sense that the novel is progressing, which helps keeps readers interested.

(Here's more on creating story arcs)

5. Make sure the stakes are dire. 

Stakes are vital to holding reader attention and keep them wanting to know what happens next. Make sure your protagonist has a lot to lose if they don’t solve their problem. While death might seem like the ultimate stake, a life in jeopardy is more often a weak stake, as readers know the protagonist won't die. Instead, look for consequences that affect the protagonist personally, and are risks that could actually befall the character.

6. Separate characters from sounding alike. 

It’s easy to switch who says what during revisions, so make sure your characters all have individual voices and mannerisms--especially your main characters. If you can’t tell who is speaking by how they say it, you might want to tweak further.

(Here's more on creating different character voices)

7. Know your weak spots. 

We all have words we like to overuse or weak areas we know we'll need to strengthen. Accept what your weak areas are and work toward improving those skills. For common crutch words (those words you use far too much even though you know you shouldn't), create a list to help you go through them one by one and edit what doesn't need to be there.

8. Getting from here to there. 

Bad transitions can leave a reader confused, so make sure you switch smoothly and clearly when changing scenes, locations, and point-of-view-characters. Also keep an eye out for scenes starting in a new location without any sense of setting. It's easy to forget those critical grounding details in a new scene.

(Here's more on moving from scene to scene)

9. Bury the backstory. 

Backstory creeps in on a first draft all the time, because we’re often still trying to figure it out ourselves. Look for those sneaky bits and find a way to include the information in ways that don’t stop the story. If you can’t slip it in seamlessly (or close to it), cut it.

10. Don’t be afraid to cut.  

A lot of unnecessary information finds its way into a story because we’re uncertain if what we mean is getting across. Trust your reader to get it, and don’t beat them over the head when it’s clear what’s going on.

How do you feel about revision? What are some of your "must do" revisions tips?

Looking to improve your craft? Check out one of my books on writing: 

In-depth studies in my Skill Builders series include Understanding Conflict (And What It Really Means), and Understanding Show Don't Tell (And Really Getting It). My Foundations of Fiction series includes Plotting Your Novel: Ideas and Structure, a self-guided workshop for plotting a novel, and the companion Plotting Your Novel Workbook, and my Revising Your Novel: First Draft to Finished Draft series, with step-by-step guides to revising a novel. 

A long-time fantasy reader, Janice Hardy always wondered about the darker side of healing. For her fantasy trilogy The Healing Wars, she tapped into her own dark side to create a world where healing was dangerous, and those with the best intentions often made the worst choices. Her novels include The Shifter, Blue Fire, and Darkfall from Balzer+Bray/Harper Collins. The Shifter, was chosen for the 2014 list of "Ten Books All Young Georgians Should Read" from the Georgia Center for the Book. It was also shortlisted for the Waterstones Children's Book Prize, and The Truman Award in 2011.

As J.T. Hardy, she write urban fantasy for adults. The first book in her Grace Harper series is Blood Ties.

Janice is also the founder of Fiction University, a site dedicated to helping writers improve their craft. Her popular Foundations of Fiction series includes Plotting Your Novel: Ideas and Structure and the companion Plotting Your Novel Workbook. Her Revising Your Novel: First Draft to Finished Draft series offer step-by-step guide to revising a novel. Her Skill Builders series includes Understanding Show Don't Tell (And Really Getting It), and Understanding Conflict (And What It Really Means).   

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